By Olena Harmash and Sergiy Karazy
KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine will obtain its first provides of F-16 fighter jets “very quickly”, however round half of its desperately wanted overseas army help is arriving late, Kyiv’s defence minister has stated.
Rustem Umerov, 42, advised Reuters in an interview in Kyiv late on Monday that Russia was deploying extra manpower and tools to the entrance, greater than 27 months after its full-scale invasion.
Kyiv’s forces have managed to stabilise the brand new entrance within the northeastern Kharkiv area the place Russia attacked earlier this month. However Umerov stated Moscow was getting ready for a brand new push.
“Their goal is to open a brand new entrance within the north to begin utilizing all their manpower, firing energy, in opposition to us, they’re persevering with with their goal to destroy the nation,” he stated.
“We’re withstanding, however in fact we want extra weapons, we want extra firing energy, we want long-range missiles, to not permit them to enter our state.”
He stated Ukraine was grateful for the army help and weapons provided by its companions, however that solely half of the promised deliveries arrived on time. Each delay benefited Ukraine’s a lot bigger and better-equipped foe, with a entrance line stretching 1,200 km (750 miles).
MOBILISATION CRUCIAL FOR UKRAINE
Even earlier than Russian forces crossed this month into the northern a part of the Kharkiv area, capturing border villages and forcing 1000’s of civilians to flee, it had been slowly advancing for months within the jap Donetsk area.
“Time is super-crucial and, to repel the assaults, we have to have [the deliveries] on time in place,” Umerov stated.
Ukraine has additionally struggled to recruit the variety of troops it requires to replenish and rotate drained and exhausted troopers, a few of whom have been combating since February 2022. A brand new mobilisation regulation got here into pressure final week.
Umerov stated as much as 1.2 million males had up to date their army data on-line, because the laws requires, to assist draft officers, however didn’t say what number of the federal government needs to, or thinks will probably be capable of, name up.
Navy analysts put the variety of Ukrainian defence personnel, together with safety and regulation enforcement, at multiple million.
The minister stated Russia had about 500,000 troops in Ukraine and close to its borders, and was getting ready so as to add one other 200,000-300,000.
Umerov, an ethnic Crimean Tatar, a Turkic minority from the peninsula seized by Russia in 2014, reiterated that Kyiv was decided to liberate all its territory as much as its internationally-recognised 1991 borders, together with Crimea.
However the principle army goal for the approaching months can be to carry its defensive traces and to suppress the enemy whereas enhancing Ukrainian army capabilities within the air, at sea and on land.
He stated he anticipated the F-16 fighter jets to be delivered “hopefully very, very quickly”.
Requested what number of Kyiv anticipated to obtain, he stated, in English: “We’d like as a lot as we could get.”
“At this stage, we’re targeted on coaching our personnel … pilots, we’re targeted on infrastructure, we’re targeted on bringing operational and upkeep groups and we’re engaged on modernisation or bringing on extra platforms.”
He stated Ukraine was additionally persevering with to step up its personal manufacturing of weapons and drones, in addition to its digital warfare capabilities.
(Reporting by Olena Harmash; enhancing by Tom Balmforth and Kevin Liffey)
